Page 45 of The Prodigal Brother Returns

“I can,” Timmy piped up.

Blake hid a smile. If Timmy could, he sure as heck could do the same. But breaking old habits wasn’t as easy as it sounded. He glanced at Nathan. “Sure.”

“Good. I’ll see you when I get back.” Jonas polished off his toast, then with a wink and a smile, he patted Timmy’s shoulder, which made his kiddo wiggle away. He grabbed his bag and was gone.

Timmy went happily back to his breakfast. Blake joined him, doing his best not to dwell on Malorie and how interested Nathan was in her comings and goings. Timmy was his number one priority. The kid depended on him to make things right so they could stay on the ranch. And he agreed with his son.

Timmy needed family, even if that family was a couple of uncles, one who was a bossy lawyer, and the other a cranky horse rancher. Somewhere in between the two, there was space on the ranch for him and Timmy.

The kids—Andee, Reece, and Timmy—talked when they didn’t know he was listening. All of them wanted to live on the ranch. Did Malorie know how much her twins had come to love being on the Triple L? Maybe not. And maybe she didn’t know that Nathan had taken a shine to her.

She came into the house just as Blake was about to broach the subject of making a home for him and Timmy on the ranch. He didn’t miss how his brother perked up at the sight of his nurse. Or the pleased smile she gave Nathan.

“You’re up. Good for you,” she said, her smile widening, reaching her beautiful, darkly lashed eyes.

Nathan’s interest in Malorie was unexpected and, surprisingly, the thought of them together hurt. That was crazy because he’d only just started to have... what?... feelings for her? It wasn’t like they were a couple or anything. But there it was the beginning of something good blooming between his brother and the twins’ unforgettable mom.

For sure, his brother had no intention of ever leaving the Triple L. If Malorie returned Nathan’s feelings, she would move to the ranch. And Blake would have to get used to seeing them together.

Whatever. He couldn’t change his mind about him and Timmy returning home to live on the ranch. Not after working so hard to make amends with Nathan and Jonas. And he wouldn’t give up on his brothers. Not again. No matter who they fell for or didn’t fall in love with.

He was the lucky one. He’d had one real, true love. He couldn’t stand in the way of Nathan finding the same. Even if that meant giving up the spark that raced around his heart whenever he saw Malorie.

If the Harpers ended up making a permanent life on the ranch, too, with Nathan, that gave Blake one more reason why he had to make sure the Triple L was profitable. All he could do was keep moving forward by convincing Nathan that his ideas were solid and get his brother’s agreement to start the implementation process.

“Let me help you,” Malorie said, quickly reaching Nathan’s side as his brother stood and leaned to retrieve his crutches.

Nathan caught his balance and laughed lowly. “How embarrassing. You almost had to pick me up off the floor.”

“Don’t worry about it. That’s what I’m here for.” Her voice seemed to soften like a woman’s does when she was interested in a man.

She steadied his balance. Nathan didn’t reject her helping hand.

Blake winced. Was it just his imagination that something was happening between his brother and his nurse? If there was something there, he should step back and give them room to explore where they were heading. His own life with Tina had been so extraordinary, and he shouldn’t get in the way of Nathan possibly finding something just as wonderful.

He started clearing the table. “Are you done, kiddo? We have a lot to do today.”

“I’m done,” Timmy said, his frowning gaze on Malorie and Nathan as she helped his brother into the overstuffed chair Blake had put by his bedside that morning. She took his vitals.

Both his brothers loved Timmy. They were his boy’s family now. That was what he had to concentrate on, not competing for a woman with Nathan, like they used to compete on the track team.

On his way out of the house, Malorie stopped him. “Will you watch Andee and Reece? I have to take Nathan to his doctor’s appointment.”

“Sure. They’re helping me in the barn today, so no problem.” Timmy was still watching Nathan and Malorie closely, which wasn’t surprising. Sometimes he got an idea in his head and wouldn’t let go. He would know soon enough. The kid didn’t keep much to himself. Blake gestured toward the door. “Let’s go, buddy.”

He didn’t like the feelings swirling in his gut, but he couldn’t deny that, even though his brother could be a pain in the behind on his best days, Nathan deserved to find the kind of happiness he’d had with Tina.

They were almost to the barn when Timmy said, “Miss Malorie likes Uncle Nathan.”

“Sure. He’s her patient.” Deep inside, he hoped not, but that was between her and Nathan. “And they’re friends.” Something Blake needed to remind himself of too.

Timmy sighed heavily. “I guess.”

Keep your eye on the ball, Lohmen.

Timmy and the Triple L, not Nathan’s nurse.

He had plans to make. Staying in the apartment over the barn would not be a problem, but eventually, it was clear he’d need a place where he wasn’t in the middle of a blooming love story every day. The Triple L had a hundred acres. Surely, he would have no problem building a house that would suit him and Timmy and provide them both with space and quiet when needed. There was that section closest to the mountains where the remains of the original homestead cabin were.

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